Floor structure



J. A. CHRASTEK FLOOR STRUCTURE May 2, 1967 Filed Feb. 11, 1964 wINVENTOR.

l2 Jerome Z. C/z/"afi t,

/6 BY H W W m $44M W United States Patent C 3,316,680 FLOOR STRUCTUREJerome A. Chrastelr, 1502 Blanchan, La Grange Park, Ill. 60525; JeromeR. Chrastek, executor of said Jerome A. Chrastek, deceased Filed Feb.11, 1964, Ser. No. 343,991 3 Claims. (Cl. 52-126) This invention relatesto floor structures and more particularly to a structure for fabricatinga paneled floor in elevated spaced relation to a suitable supportingsurface.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improvedfloor structure.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a structure forreadily fabricating a paneled floor in elevated spaced relation to asupporting surface.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide an elevatedpanel floor structure which is capable of supporting substantial loadswhile at the same time being relatively inexpensive and easilyassembled.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide an elevatedpaneled floor structure for supporting portable instrumentedinstallations (e.g. data processing installations), which floorstructure provides suitable means for accommodating the cables and otherinstrumentalities employed with such installations in readily accessiblelocations.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description when considered inconjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an elevated paneled floorstructure constructed in accordance with the present invention and withportions of the structure broken away to more clearly illustrate theinvention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged exploded view of a preferred embodiment of thesupporting structure employed in the elevated paneled floor depicted inFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along the line 33 inFIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view similar to FIGURE 3 buttaken along the line 4-4 in FIG- URE 1.

In general, the present invention is directed to an improved elevatedfloor structure which is capable of supporting portable instrumentedinstallations such as a typical data processing installation. Inaccordance with the provisions of the present invention, a structurallystrong supporting floor is provided for supporting a variety of forms ofelectronic equipment without obstructing the working area around theequipment by necessitating the distribution of supply cables, controllines, conduits and the like over the surface of the floor. In thisconnection, means are provided for housing the cables and otherinstrumentalities employed with the portable equipment so that theseinstrumentalities are appropriately confined in readily accessibleregions. That is, rather than having a confusing and troublesome arrayof supply cables, control lines, conduits and the like randomlydistributed beneath the elevated floor structure, theseinstrumentalities are uniformly distributed in readily accessibleregions provided by the supporting structure for the floor. If desired,these housings when appropriately sealed can be employed as air ductsfor either a ventilation or cooling system.

As shown in the accompanyig drawing and particularly in FIGURE 1, apreferred embodiment of the floor structure includes a plurality ofvertically adjustable support pedestals that are adapted to beselectively positioned about a suitable supporting surface 13 over whichthe elevated floor is to be constructed. These vertically adjustablesupport pedestals 11) function to support elongated floor panel mountingmembers 11 and transverse spacer and mounting members 11a. As a result,a stable and uniformly arranged base structure is provided whereon aplurality of floor panels 12 are peripherally supported to provide astructurally strong floor situated in elevated spaced relation to thesupporting surface 13.

Referring now in detail to the preferred embodiment of the floorstructure illustrated in the drawing, each of the vertically adjustablesupport pedestals 10 includes a number of cooperative components. Thesecomponents facilitate the selective placement of the pedestals 10 on andabout the supporting surface 13 and the joining of the floor panelmounting members 11 and 11a to the pedestals.

More particularly, each of the pedestals 11} is provided with a baseplate 15 that is adapted to be secured to the supporting surface 13 bysuitable fasteners (not shown) after the pedestal is appropriatelypositioned thereon. Secured to and extending upwardly from the baseplate 15 is an adjusting screw 16 that mates with and is encompassed byat least a portion of a tubular pedestal shaft 17. The tubular pedestalshaft 17 has a nut 18 secured to the lower extremity thereof so that thenut is rotatable relative to the shaft and threadably engages theadjusting screw 16. Rotation of the nut 18 (ie by the action of a wrenchor other suitable tool) results in the nut being selectively advancedupwardly or downwardly. In a conventional manner, a locking nut 19 isprovided on the adjusting screw 16 to limit the travel of the nut 18 andthe associated shaft 17.

As is obvious from a consideration of the drawing, the selective upwardor downward advance of the nut 18 is transmitted to the shaft 17 and toa supporting plate 21 that is fastened to the upper extremity of theshaft (e.g. by welding or the like). However, the position of thelocking nut 19 limits the downward travel of the nut 18 and,accordingly, of the shaft 17 and supporting plate 21 that are securedthereto. During the fabrication of an elevated floor structure, thelocking nut 19 is appropriately positioned and the nut 18 is advancedinto abutting fixed engagement therewith to yield the desired level ofthe base structure for the elevated floor.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the elongated floor panel mounting members 11are preferably designed to be mounted on at least a pair of thevertically adjustable support pedestals 10. The transverse spacer andmounting members 11a can either be secured to and supported between onlythe members 11 or can also be supported by' one or more pedestals 10,the construction being dictated by the dimensions of the spanned areasand the load to be supported. In any event, the final configurationprovides a structurally stable and uniformly arranged base structure forperipherally supporting the floor panels 12.

More particularly, each of the illustrated floor panel mounting members11 is shown as being removably secured to the supporting plates 21 of aplurality of the support pedestals 10. In this connection, each of theelongated floor panel mounting members 11 is in the form of a trough orchannel 22 that is defined by a base plate 23 and a pair of side walls24 that extend upwardly from the base plate and mate with suitablecovers 25, as hereinafter described in detail. Preferably, the width ofthe base plate 23 is equal to or greater than the correspondingdimension of the support plate 21 provided by each of the pedestals 10.With this arrangement, the floor panel mounting members 11 are readilymountable on the support plates 21. To facilitate this mounting, themating portions of the base plate 23 and the support plates 21 areapertured to receive suitable fasteners 26,

although welding of the base plate to the support plates can be effectedwhere desired in lieu of the fasteners 26.

The supporting structure for a completed elevated floor also generallyincludes a number of the spacer and mounting members 1111 that definetroughs or channels 22a. In this connection, whether the transversespacer and mounting members 11a are or are not independently supportedon one or more pedestals in a manner similar to the members 11, each ofthese transverse members is coupled to and supported at the ends thereofby adjacent ones of the elongated members 11. To effect this,corresponding portions of aligned side walls 24 of adjacent pairs of themembers 11 are provided with rectangular slots or openings 27 atappropriately spaced intervals (FIG. 1), and the opposite ends of thetrough forming side walls 24a of the transverse members 11a are providedwith flanges 28. The length of the members 11a is selected so that theflanged ends of each fits within the slots 27 and so that the flanges 28engage the slot defining portions of the side walls 24 (FIG. 3).Thereafter, the covers 25 are positioned over the members 11, and covers2511 are fitted over the transverse members 11a so that a plurality ofenclosed and communicating channels 22 and 22a are provided thereby forreceiving supply cables, control lines, conduits and the like.

The covers 25 for the members 11 include a top plate 31 and a pair ofmounting brackets 32 that are designed to mate with and fit between theside walls 24. The brackets 32, which extend downwardly from the topplate 31, have an inverted L shaped configuration and are spaced apart adistance such that the side walls 24 are urged apart when engaged by thecovers, and the covers are thereby effectively snapped into place. Thecovers 25a for the transverse members 11a correspond substantially tothose for the continuous mounting members 11. However, these covers donot extend the entire length of the transverse members 11a so that theircooperative positioning adjacent the edges of the covers 25 on theelongated members 11 is facilitated. However, both the covers 25 and 25ahave a width somewhat greater than the width of the members 11 and 11aso that a substantial supporting surface is provided for the floorpanels 12.

The construction of an elevated floor in accordance with the presentinvention is initiated by the suitable placement of a plurality of theadjustable pedestals about the supporting surface 13. After thepedestals are properly arrayed about the surface 13, they are removablysecured in place and the level for the base structure is achieved by theselective adjustment of the nuts 18 and 19.

Thereafter, the necessary number of elongated panel mounting members 11are positioned on the base plates of selected ones of the pedestals andare removably se cured to these base plates by the fasteners 26 inaccordance with conventional techniques. Upon completion of thisoperation, the necessary number of spacer and mounting members 11a arejoined to and supported by the transverse members 11 so that astructurally stable base is provided for the floor panels 12. When thecovers 25 and 25a are positioned on the members 11 and and 11a, thechannels 22 and 22a formed by these members are fully enclosed andprovide a plurality of communicating passageways within the basestructure itself. The construction of the floor is completed by theplacement and joining of the floor panels which are preferably designedto be peripherally supported by the base structure as shown in FIGURE 1.

The floor panels 12 which may be formed of any suitable material and ofany suitable dimensions (i.e. consistent with a high and properlydistributed load carrying ability) provide the actual supporting surfacefor the equipment or installation with which the floor is to be used. Inthis connection, when the equipment and devices constituting theparticular installation are properly located on the floor structure,appropriate ones of the floor panels 12 are removed to allow access tothe covers 25 and 25a of appropriate ones of the panel mounting members11 and 11a. These covers are then removed and the supply cables, controllines and conduits associated with the equipment are disposed within thechannels 22 and 22a defined by these panels mounting members and guidedthereby to the appropriate sources or outlets.

When this has been completed, the covers 25 and 25a are again placed onthe members 11 and 11a. The floor panels are then repositioned aftersuitable apertures are provided both in the covers and in the panels toaccommodate the passage of the cables and the like from the equipmentinto the channels. With this arrangement for conveniently housing thesupply cables, control lines and conduits associated with the equipment,these instrumentalities can be readily located and easily identified,and the usual confusing and troublesome array of these members beneaththe elevated floor is eliminated.

It should be understood that the foregoing detailed description of onepreferred embodiment of the elevated floor structure is simplyillustrative of the invention. Various modifications in the structurecould be devised by one skilled in the art without departing from theinvention. For example, the covers 25 and 25a can be constructed, joinedto the members 11 and 11a, and suitably gasketed so that the channels 22and 22a are essentially airtight. With this type of arrangement it ispossible to either ventilate or circulate air through selected ones ofthe mounting members thereby eliminating the need for certain of thecontrol lines usually employed with various portable instrumentedinstallations. These and other modifications of the structure describedabove clearly fall within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A structure for fabricating a paneled fioor in elevated spacedrelation to a supporting surface, which structure comprises a pluralityof floor panels, a plurality of vertically adjustable support pedestalsadapted to be positioned in a predetermined spaced array on saidsupporting surface, and a plurality of panel mounting members secured tosaid arrayed support pedestals so as to provide a structurally stableand uniformly arranged base structure for peripherally supporting saidfloor panels, each of said panel mounting members including a generallyU-shaped housing that defines an elongated channel and a cover thatremovably mates with said housing so as to fully enclose said channel.

2. A structure for fabricating a paneled floor in elevated spacedrelation to a supporting surface, which structure comprises a pluralityof floor panels, a plurality of vertically adjustable support pedestalsadapted to be positioned in a predetermined spaced array on saidsupporting surface, a plurality of elongated panel mounting memberssecured to selected ones of said arrayed support pedestals, and aplurality of spacer and mounting members secured to and between saidelongated members, said elongated members and said spacer members beingjoined so as to provide a structurally stable and uniformly arrangedbase structure for peripherally supporting said floor panels, each ofsaid elongated members and said spacer members including a generallyU-shaped housing that is secured to said pedestals and that defines anelongated channel and including a cover that mates with said housing andwith the covers of adjacent ones of said housings so as to define fullyenclosed communicating channels beneath said supported floor panels.

3. An elevated floor structure for supporting instrumented installationsin elevated spaced relation to a supporting surface while at the sametime providing means for accommodating the cables and otherinstrumentalities employed with such installations, which structurecomprises a plurality of floor panels, a plurality of verticallyadjustable support pedestals adapted to be positioned in a predeterminedspaced array on said supporting surface, a plurality of elongated panelmounting members secured to selected ones of said arrayed supportpedestals, and a plurality of spacer and mounting members secured to andbetween said elongated members, said elongated members and said spacermembers being joined so as to provide a structurally stable anduniformly arranged base structure for peripherally supporting said floorpanels, each of said elongated members and said spacer members includinga generally U-shaped housing that is secured to said pedestals and thatdefines an elongated channel and including a cover that mates with saidhousing and with the covers of adiacent ones of said housings so as todefine fully enclosed communicating channels beneath said supportedfloor panels for receiving the cables and other instrumentalities.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS HARRISON R.MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. W. E. HEATON, P. C. KANNAN, AssistantExaminers.

1. A STRUCTURE FOR FABRICATING A PANELED FLOOR IN ELEVATED SPACEDRELATION TO A SUPPORTING SURFACE, WHICH STRUCTURE COMPRISES A PLURALITYOF FLOOR PANELS, A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT PEDESTALSADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED IN A PREDETERMINED SPACED ARRAY ON SAIDSUPPORTING SURFACE, AND A PLURALITY OF PANEL MOUNTING MEMBERS SECURED TOSAID ARRAYED SUPPORT PEDESTALS SO AS TO PROVIDE A STRUCTURALLY STABLEAND UNIFORMLY ARRANGED BASE STRUCTURE FOR PERIPHERALLY SUPPORTING SAIDFLOOR PANELS, EACH OF SAID PANEL MOUNTING MEMBERS INCLUDING A GENERALLYU-SHAPED HOUSING THAT DEFINES AN ELONGATED CHANNEL AND A COVER THATREMOVABLY MATES WITH SAID HOUSING SO AS TO FULLY ENCLOSE SAID CHANNEL.